At least one dynamic condition of a pneumatic tire of a vehicle is determined by measuring the rotational angular position of the tire and/or a wheel or wheel carrier the tire is mounted on. The position measurement is preferably combined with transponder measurements of tire pressure and/or temperature, and the measurement information is transmitted from a tire or wheel antenna to a receiver with one or more antennas on the vehicle. The measurements can be combined with a tire pressure regulating device. The rotational angular position is preferably measured by monitoring fluctuations in coupling of RF power between the transmitting and the receiving antennas. In a preferred embodiment, transponders and antennas are disposed in both the tire and the wheel or wheel carrier for the purpose of monitoring the rotational angular position of a tire relative to its wheel or wheel carrier, thereby indicating torsional effects on the tire. Preferably, the tire antenna in the preferred embodiment is mounted inside the tire near the outer circumference of the tire.

Monitoring pneumatic tire conditions

A method and apparatus for determining a preferred operating range for a plurality of torque-generative devices is provided. Each device is operable to provide motive torque to a transmission. The invention includes defining a first and a second operating range in a first operating space. The first operating range and the second operating range are mathematically transformed to a second operating space. The preferred operating range is defined in the second operating space based upon the transformed first operating range and the transformed second operating range. The first operating range is defined based upon torque output for each of the torque-generative devices. The second operating range is defined based upon output of an electrical energy storage device operable to provide electrical energy to each of the torque-generative devices.

Control system for hybrid powertrain

According to the present invention, there is provided a device for controlling a motor vehicle installed with an engine and an automatic transmission during a shift in gear positon in the automatic transmission, the automatic transmission having an input shaft drivingly connected to the engine and an output shaft. In the device, an actual value in a speed ratio is accurately detected and thus monitored during a transient period involving a shift in gear position taking place in the automatic transmission, and a closed loop control is effected based on the actual speed ratio detected.

Control for shock-free shift in an automatic transmission

An electronic transmission coastdown shift control method in which the transmission controller has the capacity to predict timing of apply element application. The control method of the present invention improves the shift sequence by accurately prefilling the apply element. The transmission controller vents the release element when apply element application is imminent and controls the application of the oncoming element to achieve a controlled element exchange for a smooth coastdown shift. A duty cycle is then applied to complete the oncoming element application with a soft yet quick application and control the engagement of the oncoming element. The identification of the application point of the oncoming element enables the apply element fill volume to be learned during coastdown shifts. It also enables the calculation of a line pressure correction factor necessary in accurately predicting application of the apply element. Anticipation of a coastdown tip-in condition is also provided. When a tip-in condition is sensed, a more aggressive fast fill of the apply element is undertaken in order to handle an approaching input torque increase.

Method of controlling coastdown and coastdown/tip-in in an automatic transmission

A sensing system is provided for sensing the position of a manual gear select lever in an automatic transmission. The sensing system includes a plate member movable in response to movement of a shift lever and has a contact surface having a predetermined pattern of electrically conductive and non-conductive areas. An electrical sensing unit is mounted in the transmission so as to communicate with the contact surface of the plate member. A plurality of electrical contacts extend from the sensing unit to contact the conductive and non-conductive areas on the contact surface and generate binary codes in accordance with the position of the shift lever. Combinations of binary codes are provided for the operating modes and require at least two bit changes therebetween. In addition, transition codes are provided between each of the operating modes. The binary codes are provided to a transmission controller which determines the predetermined operating mode and transition modes therebetween.

Manual valve position sensing system

A system for determining the instantaneous torque produced by an engine or motor that drives on automotive vehicle powertrain through a hydrodynamic torque converter. A digital circuit operates to generate a binary number, which is the count of high frequency pulses that are a multiple of the frequency of the engine crankshaft occurring between the pulses that are proportional to the speed of the driveshaft. The speed ratio control elements of the transmission are controlled by the state of pressure solenoids that actuate hydraulic valves. The state of the pressure solenoids is used to determine the speed ratio of the transmission; changes in state indicate the onset of a period of instability during which the transmission components are undergoing transition to a new speed ratio. This transition is sensed by the circuit and a signal indicative of the transiency or constancy of the pressure solenoids is transmitted to the computer. An overflow of the binary number in the counters in excess of a predetermined number is sensed by the circuit and transmitted to the computer. Either of these conditions will cause the computer to discount the number within the counters. Otherwise, the count is used as a basis upon which the speed ratio and capacity factor of the torque converter are determined and the torque of the engine calculated.

Drivetrain torque determination using torque converter characteristics

An electronic circuit is disclosed for generating an output signal having a frequency which is a selected multiple of a variable input signal frequency. To obtain the desired multiplication, a relatively high clock signal frequency is divided by a number which corresponds to the selected multiple to produce a second signal having a lower frequency than the clock signal frequency. The individual pulses of the lower frequency signal are counted during the time interval between two consecutive input signal pulses to generate a second, variable, number which is then used to divide the clock signal frequency in the time period immediately following the occurrence of the second of the two consecutive input signal pulses. The resulting output signal therefore occurs at a frequency which is equal to the frequency of the input signal multiplied by the desired multiplicative factor.

Alf L. Cederquist

Papers

Drivetrain torque determination using torque converter characteristics

Time division interpolator

Verfahren und elektronische schaltung zur frequenzvervielfachung von signalen (zeitteilungsinterpolator)